Paying his tribute to the deceased soul, he said, "I had the opportunity of being associated with him. And I know that his interest was not in milk co-operatives but in grass-root level democracy."

With technology, Kurien had empowered the lowest denomination, Dutt said while talking with delegates at an interactive session organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce here.

"We need to sensitise people on the ground as to how technology can change their lives," the governor said.As the Managing Director of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF), Kurien changed the lives of millions of farmers in Gujarat by producing milk powder from buffalo milk.